Related Policies

SafeAssign

SafeAssign is now integrated into regular Blackboard Learn assignments. SafeAssign allows students to submit files to the instructor and checks submissions for originality.

About SafeAssign

SafeAssign is now integrated into regular Blackboard Learn assignments. With the integration between SafeAssign and regular assignments, almost all of the regular assignment features are available with the SafeAssign service.

Results of a submission to SafeAssign are returned in an Originality Report, which shows text matches found in the SafeAssign databases with links to possible matches.

An Originality Report with a high percentage of matches does not prove that plagiarism occurred. This report along with other supporting information needs to be carefully reviewed. SafeAssign does not check all possible sources and it is not a panacea. It is up to the instructor to make the final decision as to whether plagiarism has occurred.

Creating a SafeAssignment

Go to the content area where you would like to create your SafeAssign assignment

From the Assessments button select Assignment

In the Grading section expand Submission Details.

Select Check submissions for plagiarism using SafeAssign.

Optionally, select one or both options:

Allow students to view the SafeAssign originality reports on their submissions.

Exclude all student submissions for this assignment from the institutional or global reference databases.

Viewing Submissions

Locate the specific SafeAssignment in the list, place your cursor over the name, click the "down pointing" icon and select View Submissions

Student Submissions will appear with the following columns for each submission:

User Attempt: Click on student to view the student’s submission and comments.

Average Match: indicates the amount of text that might match other sources, across all files that were uploaded

Highest Match: If multiple files were submitted, this will display the percentage for the file with the highest match with other sources.

SA Report: Select this option to view the full Safe Assignment report.

It is important to read the full report to determine if the matching percentage is properly attributed.

Using SafeAssign in the classroom

This statement, provided by the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, should be put into your syllabus if you choose to use SafeAssign:

All students are expected to be familiar with and abide by the university's academic integrity policies, available in the Undergraduate Catalog (https://catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/integrity.html) or the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual (http://grad.buffalo.edu/study/progress/policylibrary.html). Plagiarism detection software may be used by individual instructors or the institution to aid in determining the originality of student work.